According to his lawyer, a Palestinian prisoner who has been on a hunger strike for more than 160 days in protest against Israel’s custody of him might pass away at any time.
Israeli authorities detained Khalil Awawdeh, 40, in December 2021 and have since held him in administrative detention, which is a legal holding without charges or a court hearing.
The charges against Awawdeh have received little information from Israel. His imprisonment has been repeatedly upheld by military tribunals, a spokeswoman for the Israeli military said on Wednesday, “and it was determined that the confidential material in his case indicates that his release will threaten the security of the area.”
Awawdeh began a Palestinian hunger strike in March to press for his release. Since then, he has only survived on water, according to his attorney, Ahlam Haddad.
In a recent ceasefire agreement to stop three days of violence in Gaza between Israel and the terrorist Islamic Jihad organization, Egyptian mediators lobbied for Awawdeh’s release.
Under the condition of anonymity, a security source in Egypt claimed on Wednesday that Israel offered to check into a list of inmates that Egypt had given to them, including Awawdeh, but expressed doubts about some of the names.
Awawdeh’s passing may exacerbate a situation that has been getting worse for months, with Israeli troops conducting operations against alleged terrorists in the West Bank almost every day.
Awawdeh told Reuters from his hospital bed, his eyes bulging and his speech stuttering, “I feel that my body is consuming itself internally.” “God’s support, steadfastness, and patience are what enable me to continue.” the speaker said.
Due to his deteriorating health, Awawdeh was recently moved from Ramle Prison to the Asaf Harofeh hospital in Israel.
Due to Awawdeh’s worsening health, the Israeli military temporarily lifted the administrative detention order against him last Friday. However, a military spokeswoman stated that he is not permitted to leave the facility.
According to Naji Abbas, the case manager for detainees at Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Awawdeh has likely survived this long without food because he received vitamin supplements during a two-week vacation a few months ago.
At that moment, Awawdeh consented to terminate his hunger strike because he believed he was about to be released, according to Abbas. Awawdeh currently weighs 40 kilos after losing roughly 45 kg.
Israel has thus far denied Awawdeh’s family, who reside close to the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, permission to see him, but they have backed his choice to prolong his Palestinian hunger strike.
His wife, Dalal Awawdeh, said that he was held without being charged or going through a trial. Regardless of whether the occupation agrees or not, he will demand his liberation just as he was forcibly held and snatched from us.
